


Blackened Ash

by Micbot37



Category: Fire Emblem Series, Fire Emblem: Fuukasetsugetsu | Fire Emblem: Three Houses
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Betrayal, Gen, I am using female byleth, Seriously don't click if you haven't played through them all, Spoilers, for every single route in Fire Emblem: Three Houses
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-11-12
Updated: 2020-11-12
Packaged: 2021-03-10 05:20:41
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 2
Words: 3,507
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27519028
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Micbot37/pseuds/Micbot37
Summary: (WARNING: Spoilers for all Fire Emblem: Three Houses routes. As such not much detail will be given on here, you'll need to go into the chapter to learn more.)A super secret fifth route hidden under the other four? What could this one entail...And what is Byleth's role in it.
Kudos: 6





	1. Prologue

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So this is going to be a story. The idea of this started on youtube where I was watching a remixed version of The Edge of Dawn (video has since dropped off the face of youtube). I scrolled through the comments and I see someone talk about the potential for a fifth route and their idea for it. I won’t go into detail of what they said, but I thought the idea was very intriguing so I wrote it. Thanks to that youtube commenter for inspiring this. This is just a prologue chapter to give insight, but I have to warn this prologue gives spoilers to each and every route. You have been warned. Also, I am using the female Byleth.

It all started when Byleth was accepted as a professor into Garreg Mach Monastery. She had grown close to the students and other faculty there. She remembered returning lost items, having tea with Ferdinand, and putting up with Claude’s schemes. It was rather like a tight family she thought would never be broken.

Until Edelgard was revealed to be the Flame Emperor…

Suddenly the church and the empire were at war, with many of her former students becoming her own enemies. She had fallen asleep for five years before coming back. With Claude and the rest of the Golden deers they took down the Empire, those who slither in the dark, and a rebirthed Nemesis. When all was said and done Fodlan had opened its borders to surrounding countries. She however felt unsatisfied with what happened, as if she wished no one could have died at all. She went to sleep one night thinking this.

* * *

And then woke back up in Remire Village. Right when Jeralt came into the room….

She was confused at first but if she had to guess she may have unconsciously turned back the hands of time to the beginning of everything. When returning to Garreg Mach she felt like she had another chance to make this right.

This time she taught the Blue Lions…

It went nearly the same as before this time with the Kingdom having control over all of Fodlan. Dimitri had become a beast consumed with rage and vengeance. Byleth had taken it upon herself, per Gilbert’s request, to bring him out of it. She was successful as Dimitri began to evaluate what he'd been doing before they stormed Enbarr and once again toppled the Empire. Byleth still watched many of her former students die at gronder. She was once again unsatisfied.

* * *

She woke back up in Remire Village again…

Byleth didn’t know how many chances she was getting, but she was determined to make it count. This time she taught the Black Eagles hoping to find Edelgard’s motive and means of doing what she did. She unfortunately never found out but she knew better than to side with the Empire. When working with church and her students of the Black Eagles they once again toppled the empire. She voiced not wanting to kill Edelgard or Hubert, but Seteth said that if it could be avoided he would’ve, but there was no choice. She seemed to understand this reasoning and began to believe that this was for the best. 

Until they were forced to kill Rhea…

* * *

She knew what was going to happen when she woke up in Remire Village again. When the time came she did the one option she had left, and that was joining the empire. While she had finally learned of Edelgard’s motives and gotten to know Jeritza a bit better she ended up having to kill nearly everyone she knew. She was only able to spare Lysithea and Claude, the latter to her great relief. In the end, she did have to kill Rhea again. It however had caused her to die temporarily, the crest stone stuck inside her dissolved and her heart began beating for the first time. The church and nobility were then abolished by Edelgard.

Even after that she felt like something was missing in the whole thing. She took the time to go to the goddess tower to think things over. Once there she looked around, it was really the only place in Garreg Mach that was pretty much left unscathed by the war. “The war is over..” Byleth said to herself. “But I guess, it may as well be only the beginning.”

She stood there for a few seconds until an all-too familiar voice in her head appeared saying, “Complain, complain, complain! What is it now?”

Byleth turned to face Sothis and recoiled in shock for a few seconds. “I thought you said you would vanish?”

“And I said I will always be with you. No matter what happened, speaking of which… I guess I may as well tell you,” Sothis said. She crossed her arms as her face morphed a solemn expression.

“Tell me what?”

“Those times when you went to sleep and suddenly woke up at the start of everything. That was me, I turned the hands of time back to when it all began,” Sothis said. 

This shocked Byleth a great deal who immediately asked, “What?! Why would you do that?”

“Because I could feel your pain, the pain of having to do what you did to your former students. I also felt like there could’ve been another way so I turned back the hands of time so you could get another chance,” Sothis said. 

“In the end, it didn’t work,” Byleth said.

“Yep, at this point I can’t think of any other way, there’s no way to avoid going to Garreg Mach and you’ve already gone through every possible path,” Sothis said. Byleth then felt like she was starting to get an idea. “I can only turn back the hands of time like this one more time so I’ll give you a choice. I can either turn back time again and you can follow whatever path you feel is best, or you can live out this path.” She then noticed Byleth was in a deep train of thought and asked, “Did you even hear a word I just said?”

“I did, and I just got an idea. I think there may in fact be a way,” Byleth said. The idea she had was a crazy one that could turn out well or south fast, but it has to be done. “Sothis you said you can turn back time once more right? Can you do that, I think I know a way we can do this.”

“What is this idea? And are you absolutely sure about this? This is the last time I can do this,” Sothis said. 

Byleth nodded saying, “I’ll tell you my plan when we get back to Garreg Mach five years ago.”

Sothis sighed saying, “I hope you aren’t going to regret this later.” She then turned back to hands one final time.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So I won’t go into detail of what’s going to happen you’ll find out next chapter. But this is essentially an ultra hidden fifth route. In order to get it, you have to have played the first route (could be any) and then play all the other routes through the new game+. This final route can then be played through a new game+ nothing big will change until the Holy Tomb where you get another option.


	2. Conflict in the Holy Tomb

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> After months of waiting, things begin to deviate from what's supposed to happen.

This was the moment Byleth was waiting for, the moment where she would put everything on its head. Knowing it didn’t matter which house she chose she taught the Golden Deer again as they were her favorite of the three, not that she would admit it. She had told Sothis about the plan, who had a grave disagreement for it. Sothis eventually relented knowing that there was no choice but to do it. As time went on Sothis remembered and told Byleth of powers the progenitor god should have, but are very taxing powers.

Things were slightly different though as she and some other students had a slight adventure in a place known as the Abyss. Within it was a hidden Ashen Wolves house. After everything that happened there was said and done Rhea allowed them to leave the abyss. They aren’t students in the houses but they help out around the monastery.

Now Byleth was sitting on the throne in the holy tomb, facing Rhea and Claude. “Well,” Rhea asked, wondering if anything happened. Claude seemed equally interested and slightly confused as he had no idea what a revelation was supposed to look like. “It was supposed to be but a step away… what could possibly be missing?”

Claude then heard something behind them and turned around. He then grew slightly concerned as he said, “Uh, hate to interrupt whatever is supposed to be happening, archbishop, but we have some uninvited guests!”

Rhea then turned around and saw none other than the Flame Emperor. Byleth looked ahead and got off the throne.  _ Guess it’s time,  _ she thought.

Metodey then walked forward as the Flame Emperor’s army walked closer while saying, “Don’t move If you do then your lives will be forfeit. The imperial army will now be taking possession of the crest stones here!”

Byleth joined the rest of her students as they panicked of the imperial army being here. Once Rhea ordered for them to stop the army, she knew there was no turning back.

* * *

**After the battle because that is just stuff I don’t really need to write…**

At the end of the battle Claude managed to knock the Flame Emperor’s helmet off. Revealing none other than Edelgard. “Are you kidding me?! The Flame Emperor is actually Edelgard.”

“I’m surprised you’re shocked by that, Claude. As a ‘master schemer’ I felt like you would’ve noticed this,” Edelgard said.

“I mean, your absence during this month now is definitely obvious but I wasn’t expecting this,” Claude said as Byleth and Rhea came forward. “Oh, there you are, teach.”

“You have disappointed me Edelgard,” Rhea said with venom in her voice. “To think the descendant of house Hresvelg would betray the church like this!” She then turned to Byleth saying, “Professor, kill Edelgard at once. A heart like hers should not be allowed to keep beating.”

“Hang on, I have some questions myself. Such as why are you doing this,” Claude said.

“That is something you would never understand Claude, I have however accomplished everything I meant to do here. I’ll be retreating now,” Edelgard said. Hubert then teleported right next to her. “Come, Hubert!”

* * *

**_This choice will drastically change the story…  
_ ** _ (I must kill Edelgard…)  
_ _ (Time to begin the plan…)< _

* * *

“Hang on Edelgard,” Byleth shouted. Edelgard and Hubert stopped what they were doing for a moment. “There’s something I would like to say first.”

Edelgard looked down in thought before saying, “Fine, say what you wish to say.”

Byleth took a deep breath as she said, “I did have a revelation when I sat on the throne.”

“You what,” Rhea said in shock. Edelgard was equally as shocked and Hubert was masking his surprise. 

“Wait, you really had a revelation from the goddess. You didn’t look like you did. In fact, you just stared blankly at us,” Claude said, holding his head in confusion. “What exactly was the revelation?”

“...A vision,” Byleth simply answered.

“A vision,” Edelgard questioned. 

“Please don’t be vague and tell us what you mean professor,” Hurbert said with a dark glare.

“A got a vision from the goddess. I saw a Fodlan in the near future that had been ravaged by war, from multiple alternate timelines. I asked how to stop it from ever happening. She said I had the power to myself, what I chose to do with it was up to me,” Byleth explained.

“Really, that was the revelation,” Claude said in shock. “That’s… honestly I was kinda expecting something more.”

“I saw what I needed to, Claude. And for that I am grateful, because now… I know what I have to do,” Byleth said. 

Her hand then began to grip her sword, “I just want you to know I am very sorry about this…”

“I guess I should’ve known-“ Edelgard said but was soon to be cut off.

“Rhea,” Byleth said. While everyone was confused Byleth took out the sword of the creator and stabbed Rhea right in the heart before anyone could blink. The students of the golden deer watched in shock. Claude in his own shock began to take a few cautionary steps towards Edelgard. 

“What is the meaning of this,” Rhea weakly demanded.

“In order to stop what’s to come… I need to rid this world of those who caused it. Starting with you,” Byleth said. Her sword then left Rhea and the archbishop fell to the ground.(1)

Edelgard was speechless at what just happened. And Hubert was actually shocked for once. Still trying to process the situation, Claude let out a scared, “T-teach?”

“It’s not just her that has to die,” Byleth said, menacingly. “In order to ever avoid all this. I must purge this continent of all life.”

“Was this really the revelation the professor was given, or has she just been consumed by the power of the sword of the creator and the crest of flames,” Hubert theorized while he slowly gained his composure.

“Purge all life in Fodlan, this has to be a joke right teach,” Claude questioned. “You plan to stop a war by starting a war. That contradicts the vision you said you had!”

“The professor is many things,” Edelgard said. She was also scared by what she witnessed and what Byleth was implying. “But a liar was never one of them.”

“Yes, I am not lying,” Byleth said as she turned to face the three. A dark power was swirling from the sword of the creator. She then held it up in the air and power went everywhere. The others then watched as the defeated imperial soldiers and Metodey got up from their places.

“Did-did she just revive your troops,” Claude questioned as he looked around.

Hubert then noticed one of them was aiming a bow at Edelgard. He then quickly ducked Edelgard as the arrow flew past them. “She means to kill us all!”

“And I have Edelgard to thank for that. With all the troops she’s secretly gathered I’ll have an army under my control in no time,” Byleth said.

Edelgard’s eyes widened in shock as she asked, “How do you know about that?”

“I will be taking my leave now. Prepare yourself, because I won’t be holding back,” Byleth said. With that she disappeared from the holy tomb, along with the revived soldiers and Metodey.

“I can’t believe this,” Claude said. He then walked over it where Rhea’s fallen body was. “She actually killed the archbishop.”

“What we planned over the course of months she did in two seconds,” Hubert said.

“I think we need to collect our thoughts,” Edelgard said. “Hubert, if you could help me with getting out of this armor?”

“Of course Lady Edelgard,” Hubert said.

“You two don’t go running on us. If what we just saw was any indication, teach may have the whole imperial army under her control,” Claude said. He then began to walk over to his classmates, and they seemed pretty freaked out.

* * *

“Did that really just happen,” Ignatz asked the other, some of which unable to process the situation. “Did the professor really just kill the archbishop?”

“After everything that happened, I find it hard to believe the professor would just up and do that,” Leonie said, she was rather furious. “She knows for sure now that Edelgard worked with those that killed her father and she still kills Rhea! It doesn’t make any sense!”

“This was the last thing I was expecting to see from the professor,” Lorenz said. “To think that she would do this. I can’t believe I held her in higher regard than most commoners.”

“Didn’t she say something about purging the land, is the professor going to kill everyone in Fodlan. That includes my little sister.. I can’t let this stand,” Raphael said.

“Maybe the professor killing us all is a divine punishment from the goddess,” Marianne said looking down.

“Calm down Marianne, I’m sure everything will be fine,” Hilda said. Claude then began to approach them.

“Okay everyone I know you’re all freaking out right now, but we have a big problem,” Claude said, which didn’t really calm Marianne down. Hubert and Edelgard came over a few seconds later.

“And why are they here,” Leonie said glaring at Hubert and Edelgard.

“Believe me, if we could’ve left we would. However, we suddenly can’t teleport out of here,” Edelgard said.

“So you did try to run,” Claude asked, turning to Edelgard.

“I also took what you said into consideration. If what we saw was any indication she may have the imperial army and troops I gathered under her control.”

“Well, first things first, we need to figure out what the hell we’re gonna tell the Knights of Seiros when they find out about this. No doubt Seteth is gonna blame Edelgard for this instantly upon seeing the archbishop.”

“Even if we tell the truth Claude they may still take us in and execute us,” Hubert said.

“Not if I can help it. I still have some questions about this whole thing. And you see someone rather close to Seteth is with us right now,” Claude said as he turned to Flayn. She seemed to have walked away from the group and over to Rhea. “Oh boy.”

“You’re not seriously suggesting using Flayn to convince Seteth to let them live, are you Claude,” Lorenz asked. He couldn’t believe Claude would scheme at a time like this.

“Whether Flayn wants to vouch for Edelgard and Hubert is her choice. I’m not going to force her to do anything.” They then heard footsteps coming down the stairs of the holy tomb. “Get ready here they come.”

* * *

Everyone walked over to Flayn as Seteth, Catherine, and Shamir all barged into the holy tomb along with seven knights. “We heard reports of the Flame Emperor walking in here,” Seteth began to say. “Is everyone-” Seteth's eyes widened as he saw Flayn crying by Rhea. “Lady Rhea?” Seteth then ran over to Flayn and looked in disbelief. “Flayn what happened?”

Flayn was too shocked about what had happened to speak. “I can tell you what happened, Seteth,” Claude said as he walked over to the adviser. He was followed by his classmates, Edelgard, and Hubert. “But let me tell you, it's a doozy.”

Shamir then looked over and noticed the other two in the tomb before saying, “Edelgard, Hubert, what are you two doing here?”

“Did you sneak in with the Golden Deer. If you wanted to see the holy tomb for yourselves you could’ve and should’ve asked,” Seteth said, slightly annoyed.

“Ah that’s the thing,” Claude began to say, he had just remembered Edelgard took off the armor. “You see Edelgard is the Flame Emperor.”

There was a bout of silence for a good minute before Catherine began laughing. She got weird looks from pretty much everyone in the tomb. “That’s a good one Cluade! Ah, you had me going there.” She then faced Claude, who was given her the most deadpanned stare he could muster. “Wait, you're serious?”

“This is quite the revelation,” Seteth said, his expression growing slightly darker. “While I imagine all of you are assuming I’m just going to have them taken in immediately under suspicion for Rhea’s apparent assasination.” He took a deep breath. “I will allow you all to state exactly what happened.”

“Right well uh, so you know how we came down here so teach could get a revelation from the goddess right,” Claude said.

“Yes, I am well aware of this,” Seteth said nodding.

“Now that I think about it, where is your professor,” Catherine asked.

“He’s.... getting to that,” Leonie said, nervously crossing her arms.

“The professor did indeed have a revelation. With outcomes we did not see coming, though I question whether there was a revelation at all,” Hubert said.

“What do you mean,” Shamir asked. 

“Teach said she saw a vision of some kind. Described a Fodlan ravaged by war, wasn’t told how to stop it only that she had the power to stop it. And what she decided to do with it was her choice,” Claude said.

“Don’t tell me,” Seteth began to say.

Claude nodded saying, “Teach killed Rhea and said that the only way to stop the war was to purge all life on the continent.”

Seteth looked down in thought for a second. He then glared coldly at Claude. “I know how you are one for schemes Claude, but if what you just said is true not only does Fodlan have another Nemesis crisis, it’s someone with the power of the progenitor god. Which is exponentially worse! Can everyone here confirm this is what happened?”

“We weren’t right where Claude and the professor were but we did still hear everything. That is what happened,” Hilda said. The other golden deer students nodded.

“We were right next to Claude. What he says is the truth,” Edelgard said. Hubert nodded.

“Flayn,” Seteth asked Flayn, looking over to her. “Is what they say true?”

Flayn looked down for a moment before weakly saying, “Yes. It’s true.”

“I see. There’s nothing we can really do right now, all we can do is leave while we have some knights give Rhea a proper burial,” Seteth said. “Edelgard, Hubert, seeing as how dire the situation may be I will not hold you to your past actions. But know that we will be keeping an eye on you two.” Seteth then walked out of the holy tomb followed by two knights.

Catherine sighed before saying, “Okay everyone. You can leave now.” The students left the tomb very slowly. Catherine then looked over to where some knights were tending to Rhea now. “Professor, what in the world were you thinking?”

* * *

**Byleth’s support conversations can no longer be accessed for the remainder of this file.**

**You will now play as Claude (it would change depending on your house) during free days.**

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> (1) My plan was all set to go I just decided though that it wouldn’t really work if Rhea was alive given that she would want Edelgard dead no matter what happened… so I killed her. I’m sorry, I just couldn’t think of any other way, this isn’t going to be an everyone lives scenario like Revelations. Quite a few people will be dying throughout the story.


End file.
